Catheters are used to treat many different types of medical conditions and typically include an elongated shaft that is inserted into and through a passageway or lumen of the body. Catheters, and in particular intermittent catheters, are commonly used by those who suffer from various abnormalities of the urinary system, such as urinary incontinence. With the advent of intermittent catheters, individuals with urinary system abnormalities can self-insert and self-remove intermittent catheters several times a day. Such catheters typically include a shaft that is sufficiently flexible to navigate the curves of the urethra (especially catheters intended for male users), yet rigid enough to be pushed through the urethra without collapsing or “snaking” before an end of the catheter reaches the bladder.
A primary concern when considering urinary catheters is the need to avoid contamination of the catheter shaft prior to and during advancement of the shaft into the urethra. In particular, if the catheter shaft is directly gripped by a user, then germs and bacteria from the hand of the user may be transferred to the shaft and then to the urethra. Accordingly, existing urinary catheters have been known to include one of a number of possible anti-contamination features. For example, it is known to provide a sleeve that extends between a proximal introducer tip and a distal funnel of the urinary catheter. The thin, film-like sleeve may be pressed against the catheter shaft by the user to grip and handle the shaft without directly contacting the shaft. According to another approach, a generally cylindrical or tubular gripper may surround a portion of the catheter shaft and be moved along the length of the shaft. The gripper may be squeezed or pinched to press its inner surface against the catheter shaft, thereby allowing a user to grip and handle the shaft without directly contacting it. Other approaches to hygienic handling of a urinary catheter are also known.